committee, reduce the deficit by $2.7 trillion, but that includes predicted savings from wars in iraq and afghanistan. at a speech today, the president walked the middle ground. >> neither party is blameless for the decisions that led to our debt. but both parties have a responsibility to come together and solve the problem. >> reporter: and one of the big issues for democrats is they say the republican plan would sort of expire before the president's re-election campaign, with another vote to raise the debt ceiling again, they say that would put us right back here. republicans say they need to guarantee that cuts would actually happen in the future to prevent more of a crisis. now, after all this wrangling, aides tell me the senior level negotiators in both parties are still talking, trying to find a way to close the gaps. and as you mentioned, brian, speaker boehner will follow the president tonight. he'll speak for about five minutes to lay out why he thinks his plan should get the public support. brian? >> kelly o'donnell setting the stage on capitol hill for us tonight. kelly, thanks. >>> our ch